9) New Jersey
New Jersey has an average life expectancy of 80.3 years. One reason is likely the common link between affluence and the ability to access medical care. New Jersey is one of the most affluent states, though they still experience the same gaps in positive medical outcomes between high-income and low-income earners. In fact, a recent study showed a 14-year difference in life expectancy between Princeton Junction and Trenton, only 20 minutes apart. Another study analyzed state trends from 1989 to 2009 and found that all races and both sexes had improved life expectancies. Some of the factors credited include indoor smoking bans as well as access to better medications and interventions for cardiovascular disease. Bergen County has the longest lifespan in the state with 80.5 years for men and 84.3 for women. It’s one of the wealthiest counties in the country and just across the bridge from Manhattan.
